Plasma concentrations of progesterone and estradiol and the relation to reproduction in Galápagos land iguanas, Conolophus marthae and C. subcristatus (Squamata, Iguanidae)

Onorati, Michela; Sancesario, Giulia Maria; Pastore, Donatella; Bernardini, Sergio; Carrión, Jorge; Carosi, Monica; Vignoli, Leonardo; Lauro, Davide; Gentile, Gabriele

doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2016.07.007

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…We determined the reproductive status of each female, differentiating between reproductive (egg‐carrying) and non‐reproductive (without eggs) females. We distinguished different reproductive stages: stage “a,” females showing follicles with eggs of homogenous, spherical, and small dimensions; stage “b,” females with larger, yet not fully formed, unshelled eggs; stage “c,” females with large, fully formed, shelled eggs; stage “d,” females carrying no visible eggs inside follicles (Onorati et al., 2016). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of parasitic infection and reproduction on corticosterone plasma levels in Galápagos land iguanas,Conolophus marthaeandC. subcristatus

Onorati

Sancesario²,

Pastore

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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In vertebrates, one main feature of stress response is the release of glucocorticoids (corticosterone in reptiles), steroid hormones whose synthesis is regulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA). In the Galápagos Islands, populations of land iguanas are differentially impacted by a tick‐transmitted apicomplexan hemoparasite of genus Hepatozoon, which could cause diseases and ultimately reduce fitness. Using competitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), we examined baseline plasma corticosterone levels of two syntopic and highly parasitized populations of the land iguana species Conolophus marthae and C. subcristatus in Wolf volcano (Isabela Island). We also used a poorly parasitized population of C. subcristatus from the same island (Bahia Urbina) as a reference. To better interpret the observed glucocorticoids patterns, we simultaneously performed the count of white blood cells (WBCs) in all individuals and investigated the reproductive status of females. We did not find evidence in support of either a positive or negative relationship between the tick load, hemoparasite infection, and glucocorticoid plasma concentration in C. marthae and C. subcristatus at Wolf volcano. The comparison between parasitized and non‐parasitized sites (V. Wolf and Bahia Urbina) would instead suggest an inverse relationship between corticosterone and parasites. Our findings support association between corticosterone plasma levels and reproduction.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of parasitic infection and reproduction on corticosterone plasma levels in Galápagos land iguanas,Conolophus marthaeandC. subcristatus

Onorati

Sancesario²,

Pastore

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Despite sexual activity has been documented for both species in the same period, the number of gravid females is much higher for C. subcristatus than for C. marthae (Gentile et al 2016). The above may be explained in terms of lack of recruitment (which has not been observed in C. marthae), but it could also hide an opportunistic reproductive strategy of C. marthae, which might not have a specific breeding season (Onorati et al 2016). Clearly, further data are needed to clarify the issue.…”

Section: Reproductive Isolation Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Molecular data exclude current hybridization between iguanas Conolophus marthae and C. subcristatus on Wolf Volcano (Galápagos Islands)

et al. 2018

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Natural hybridization may influence population fitness and responsiveness to natural selection, in particular in oceanic island systems. In previous studies, interspecific hybridization was detected between the Galápagos iguana species Amblyrhynchus cristatus and Conolophus subcristatus. Further, possible hybridization was also suggested to occur between C. subcristatus and C. marthae at Wolf Volcano on Isabela Island. In this work, we investigated the level of hybridization between C. subcristatus and C. marthae using a large set of microsatellite markers. Results indicated strong differentiation between species and, while we cannot rule out hybridization in the past, there is no evidence of ongoing hybridization between C. marthae and C. subcristatus. These findings have great importance for the design of management actions and conservation plans, in particular for the purposes of a head start program. However, because potential for hybridization may change under different environmental and demographic conditions, genetic characterization of newly marked individuals of C. marthae and C. subcristatus in Wolf Volcano should not be interrupted.

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“…We did not observe such a difference in the two populations from Wolf Volcano that belong to separate species. Interestingly, C. marthae and C. subcristatus in Wolf Volcano were sampled during their reproductive season [ 44 ]. In contrast, the CD population of C. subcristatus and C. pallidus were sampled when the species were far from reproduction [ 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

25-Hydroxyvitamin D Plasma Levels in Natural Populations of Pigmented and Partially Pigmented Land Iguanas from Galápagos (Conolophus spp.)

Giacomo

Pucillo

Sevilla

et al. 2022

BioMed Research International

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We report the first data on 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma levels in natural populations of three species of land iguana endemic to the Galápagos Islands (Conolophus marthae, C. subcristatus, and C. pallidus). The pigment is present throughout the whole body in the skin of C. subcristatus and C. pallidus. On the contrary, pigment is not present in the skin of an extended part of the body in C. marthae. The only existing population of C. marthae is syntopic with a population of C. subcristatus, and the two species are closely related. These circumstances would suggest that, under the assumption that the species show a similar basking behavior and in the absence of compensatory mechanisms, lighter pigmentation should favor higher vitamin D levels. Thus, C. marthae, compared with C. subcristatus in Wolf Volcano, could show higher levels of 25(OH)D plasma levels, or equal, if compensatory mechanisms exist. The three species showed levels in the range of average values for healthy iguanas. However, contrary to the expectation, C. marthae consistently exhibited the lowest 25(OH)D plasma levels. We discuss possible factors affecting vitamin concentration and hypothesize that C. marthae may use the habitat to limit exposure to the high UVB irradiation at Wolf Volcano.

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Plasma concentrations of progesterone and estradiol and the relation to reproduction in Galápagos land iguanas, Conolophus marthae and C. subcristatus (Squamata, Iguanidae)

Cited by 9 publications

References 50 publications

Effects of parasitic infection and reproduction on corticosterone plasma levels in Galápagos land iguanas,Conolophus marthaeandC. subcristatus

Effects of parasitic infection and reproduction on corticosterone plasma levels in Galápagos land iguanas,Conolophus marthaeandC. subcristatus

Molecular data exclude current hybridization between iguanas Conolophus marthae and C. subcristatus on Wolf Volcano (Galápagos Islands)

25-Hydroxyvitamin D Plasma Levels in Natural Populations of Pigmented and Partially Pigmented Land Iguanas from Galápagos (Conolophus spp.)

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